Need to swot up on your Shakespeare? If you'e(tm)ve always felt a bit embarrassed at your precarious grasp on the plot of Othello, or you haven'e(tm)t a clue what a petard - as in 'e~hoist with his own petard'e(tm) - actually is, then fear not, because this, at last, is the perfect guide to bring you up to speed. From the authors of the number-one bestselling Homework for Grown-ups , Shakespeare for Grown-ups is the essential book for anyone keen to deepen their knowledge of the Bard'e(tm)s key plays and sonnets. For parents keen to help with their children'e(tm)s homework, casual theatre-goers who want to enhance their enjoyment and understanding of the most-performed plays and the general reader who feels they should probably know more about Britain'e(tm)s most splendid scribe, Shakespeare for Grown-ups covers the historical context of his writing; his personal life, contemporaries and influences; his language and poetic skill; the key themes of his oeuvre; his less familiar works and characters; modern-day adaptations and productions; theories about the authorship of his plays; his most famous speeches and quotations; phrases and words that have entered general usage, and much more. With lively in-depth chapters on all the key works including Hamlet , Othello , King Lear , The Tempest , Romeo and Juliet , Much Ado About Nothing , Antony and Cleopatra , Richard II , Henry V , A Midsummer Night's Dream , The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth , Shakespeare for Grown-ups is the only guide to the Scribe you'e(tm)ll ever need.